Kansas senator receives Wheat Advocate award

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers presented Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) with the “Wheat Advocate” award and presented key members of his staff with the “Friend of Wheat” award this month.

During the NAWG Winter Conference, Roberts accepted the award, which is given annually to members of Congress who have gone above and beyond the norm in their support of the wheat industry.

“I am honored to be recognized for our efforts on behalf of wheat growers,"
Roberts, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, said. "The committee has done important work: protecting crop insurance, passing important grains inspections legislation, improving the grains standard in our child nutrition bill headed to the Senate floor, and important tax relief for producers. I look forward to another year with our sleeves rolled up, putting the farmer and rancher first.”

The “Friend of Wheat” award, which is given annually to Congressional staff members who show support for the wheat industry, was given to
James Glueck,
Will Stafford,Wayne Stoskopf and Andrew Vlasaty.

Stoskopf started working as professional staff for the committee last year and served on Roberts’ personal office staff before he joined the committee staff. Glueck is the senior policy adviser for the committee, specifically when it comes to handling biotechnology, risk management and grain inspection issues. Stafford joined Roberts’ staff in March 2015, serving as his agriculture legislative assistant in the personal office. Vlasaty is in charge of the conservation, forestry and environmental issues in his role as senior professional staff on the committee.